Thatcher Arizona
Thatcher is located in the Gila River Valley about 160 miles Southeast of Phoenix, 120 miles northeast of Tucson and 4 miles northwest of Safford in Graham County. It has an elevation of 2,929 feet. It was named after the Mormon Apostle Moses Thatcher after being originally settled in 1881 on the south bank of the Gila River. It was incorporated later in the year 1899. The 2003 Census showed it has an estimated population of 4.043.
The main economic contributor to the community is farming and the principal agricultural product is cotton. Copper mining by the Phelps Dodge Corporation is another major contributor to the town since it is one of the largest copper producers in the world.
Eastern Arizona College, another major contributor to Thatcher and Graham County economy, has a distinguished history as Arizona’s oldest community college. The school was chartered in 1888 by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Currently, more than 3,600 students are enrolled in Graham County classes.
